


Balance

by Lotte3011



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Irondad, M/M, Magic, Master of Death Harry Potter, Merchant of Death Tony Stark, Near Death Experiences, Not Steve Rogers Friendly, Post-Captain America: Civil War (Movie), Science, Soulmates, spiderson
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-24
Updated: 2020-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:46:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 10,570
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23824042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lotte3011/pseuds/Lotte3011
Summary: The Balance must always be upheld.
Relationships: Harry Potter/Tony Stark
Comments: 100
Kudos: 1037
Collections: Best Harry Potter Crossovers, Best Marvel Crossovers, Harry Potter, Harry Potter & Tony Stark, Leriti, Marvel Verse FF





	1. Chapter 1

Siberia 

The icy wind howled through the archways leading into the bunker. The white snow, painted with specks of blood shone brightly in the moonlight. Snow gently fell onto the already covered concrete ground. On the ground, amidst a puddle of blood lay Tony Stark trapped in his Iron Man suit. His lips were a pale blue and his eyes glassy and unseeing. 

The anger had left him for some time now, replaced by sadness, fear and resignation towards his death. While he had been on the verge of dying a few times already, this was the first time he felt like he would not survive. And a part of him did not want to. All feeling in his body had left him. Even the cold was not a thought on his mind. They say that when you are dying your life flashes before your eyes and Tony can say that this time it is true for him too. 

He remembered his past failures, as well as his greatest achievements. He thought of his closest friends Pepper, Rhodey and Happy, who were his family in all but blood. Tony remembered the time Pepper and he kissed, only to part quickly and agreeing that it felt like kissing their sibling. He even thought of his father and mother, though it is not surprising with the previous events. He had always thought that it was his father's fault that his mother died and now…. now it turns out that that backstabbing liar had been hiding the truth of their deaths from him. Tony did not know what to feel towards his father anymore. It is true that he might not have been the cause of his beloved mother's death but he never was a great father. But his mother… oh, how he missed his beloved mother. The room seemed to lighten every time she entered it. She was thoughtful, beautiful, wise and kind. While his father ran the company, she held charity events of grandeur. People flocked to her like she was the belle of the ball. She was able to hold the attention of every person, even the worst sort of people listened and followed her. She didn’t deserve to die like this. She deserved much more than her death being covered by a lie. Steve… no Rogers should have told him as soon as he found out. Oh great. Now he is thinking about that asshole again. Steve Fucking Grant Rogers. How dare he! How dare he not tell him the truth! How dare he use his money… His Money! to find the murderer of his beautiful mother. How dare he use the shield His Father made to ram it into his chest. How dare he…. betray him so… so. He thought they were family. He thought the Avengers would care about him. He thought Rogers… would..care. Tony was happy he was going to die because he felt utterly hollow and broken. On the other hand, he didn't want to leave the rest of his family behind. Rhodey...Oh, Rhodey. He would never walk again. His brother would have to leave the army, his childhood dream and be stuck in an uncomfortable wheelchair. Tony would never see him again. Oh, how he regretted ever giving Rhodey a suit. If he had never given it to Rhodey, Rhodey would still be able to walk. Pepper, well Pepper will be heartbroken when he dies. With Rhodey in the hospital and him soon to be dead, it would only leave Happy to comfort her. He did not want to leave them, his only family. He did not want to leave the Spiderling in a world on the verge of chaos, especially for mutants and superhumans. With him gone Ross could unleash a tidal wave of a massacre. He could only hope that Pepper would be enough.  
All he ever wanted in life was to be loved. Real love. He wanted to be accepted as he was, he wished to have someone beside him who understood him and who helped him be a better man. He wanted someone who saw him for who he was. Not the Tony Stark or Iron Man, just Tony. He wanted somebody who would not use him for their own benefit, a shoulder to lean on when needed and a protector, who would keep him safe. A person Pepper would approve of. Well, Rogers never was as good as he portrayed. He hopes that his mother waiting for him. Tony thoughts began to jumble together. Grey began to sweep over his eyes.

Just before losing consciousness, he heard a loud “CRACK!”.


	2. Chapter 2

The In-Between

Amongst nebulae lay a realm only a few beings could go to.

Upon a hill, looking at the stars stood a tall, in darkness shrouded figure. His viridescent eyes shone like the stars in the nebulae before him. It was very peaceful here. Time had little to no meaning in this place he called home. When he first arrived here, being taken by Them, he was astonished. Never could he have imagined such beauty and serenity. After all, his life had til that point never been calm nor really beautiful. 

So deep in his thoughts, the figure didn’t hear someone approach him.

“My Lord!”, the new being exclaimed, her normally soft and distant silvery-blue-grey eyes looking pained and focused. 

“What is it my Moon?” came the answer from the now turned figure. His vivid green eyes resting on her.

“The scales! They are out of balance!” she revealed. 

With swift movements, both figures made their way to the mansion that lay at the bottom of the hill. They quickly made their way up towards the office where the scales stood. 

The golden pair of scales, which were made up from a triangle base, a perfect horizontal rod and a flawless circular stone perched completely still and centre on top, with a plate hanging from either side of the rod, stood on a dais in the middle of the room.

While the scale normally was perfectly balanced, it now stood leaning towards the left. 

Verdant green eyes looked upon the scales in shock. In all the millennia he has spent here, the scales have only been unbalanced a handful of times, and even then, never by this much. The question was what could influence his balance this much. Something really terrible must have happened. 

There was only one way to find out. 

“My dear Luna, it seems as I must leave and find out what has happened. Do you have any ideas, my dear sister?” 

She looked towards him, “Well my Lord, the only thing that I could see was that we will have company soon. Whether good or bad is still unknown.”

He smiled at her and kissed her forehead before disappearing with a loud “CRACK!”. 

  
  


He arrived in a snowy bunker, immediately knowing it was in Siberia. The moon shone brightly through the archway, lighting up the otherwise dark room. 

Not seeing anything important in front of him, he turned around and immediately wished he hadn’t. 

The scene in front of him was gruesome. A human in what looked like a robot suit, lay unmoving on the ground. Deep red blood surrounding and flowing from the huge gash on the breast of the armour. The figure was on the ground looking up at the ceiling unseeing and dead. Ice drops could be seen on the cheeks of the figure, showing an impression of crystal tears. The lashes were frozen and the blue lips of the body depicted hypothermia. 

He wondered what happened and who killed this person. In fluid steps, the figure moved towards the body. Taking deep breaths he sank towards his sight and was shocked. 

The person in front of him was not just anybody, though he should have assumed by the state of the scales, it was his Merchant. How could anyone do this to His Merchant? 

Without a thought, he hovered a hand over the now known Merchant of Death Tony Stark. What happened next not even he expected. 

A blinding white light filled the whole room and when it disappeared he felt safety and strength like never before. Looking astonished towards his hand, he remembered when he first met Them. They had told him that one day he will find his soulmate and that he would know, just know. A raspy cough brought him back from his thoughts to the now alive figure of his Merchant.

His Merchant seemed to be in a healing sleep, breathing smooth and quietly.

Knowing that his Soulmate deserved much better than waking up in the place of his demise, he heaved his Merchant into his arms and disappeared in a “CRACK” only to reappear in his room back in the In-Between. 

He knew that whatever would happen now, would depend on his Soulmate Tony Stark. He only hoped that the Balance was easily repaired. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The scales are supposed to be a representation of the Deathly Hallows, only outside of the triangle. The stone is supposed to represent the souls that come into the realm of death and that are in the world of the living. Perfectly centre and balanced.
> 
> I hope you like the second chapter of this fic.  
> I tried really hard to sit down and write it because I know myself well enough that the longer I leave it the less likely I will continue.  
> Writing is definitely not my cup of tea.


	3. Chapter 3

Tony woke up to the feeling of someone carding their hand through his hair. He felt warm and safe like he had never before. Tony also noticed that he hadn't felt this rested and healthy in ages. Normally Tony's bones would creek, his lungs would feel heavy, a symptom that still stayed even after the Arc Reactor was removed from his chest, but now he felt young again.  
Tony moved his head a bit and the hand stopped.  
He did not want it to stop. It felt safe and he felt loved. Not thinking about it his head butted against the hand, like a cat who wanted to be petted. The hand continued and Tony heard a deep but lovely sounding chuckle.  
Slowly opening his eyes, as to not let too much light in, his eyes rested upon a person he had never seen before. Instead of panicking, which a part of him thought he should do, all he felt was a deep calm. Vivid green eyes rested upon him amused.  
"Welcome back my Merchant" the mouth of the person quirked upwards in amusement.  
"Who are you? Where am I? What do you mean Merchant? Why do I feel this…" Tony trailed off, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  
"Well Tony Stark, you are the Merchant of Death. You currently are in my home in the In-Between. I am Harry Potter, also known as the Master of Death. You feel this great because I healed you of all your injuries and because you came into the power of being my Merchant and apparently my soulmate." came the swift but thorough answer.  
"What… Soulmate?" Tony sat up quickly, only to feel a wave of dizziness overcome him.  
"Yes, I too was quite surprised. I have been waiting for you for millennia. They said I would one day find you. Oh, I forgot. You don't know who They are." Harry looked at Tony amused. "They are Death. The end of all things, but surprisingly also the beginning. You will meet them later on but I can tell you that you will never have to fear them again. They are family."  
Tony did not know how to process this. Death, actual the with a capital D. Death?! Family?! Soulmate?! Master of Death?! It felt crazy and quite honestly too good to be true.  
He did not deserve a soulmate. He would only ruin him. He was a disgrace, one who could do nothing right. Not even his father loved him, why would somebody else then do? And Death, if that all was true would never harm him. What? Does that mean he was immortal?  
Questions upon questions were building up inside Tony's head. He did not know how to process all this especially after… after. Suddenly the Shield flashed in front of his eyes. His breathing grew rapid and his hands trembled.  
One second he felt utter panic, the next he felt a wave of calm as warm, as loving hands held his and a peaceful voice brought him back to reality.  
"Hush, my dear soulmate you are safe. I will protect you from all harm. Listen to my voice and come back to me. They will rue the day they have hurt you, my dear. Everything will be fine. You are with me. You are safe."  
Blinking his teary eyes open Tony looked at the concerned figure, Harry, he introduced himself as Harry, who held his hands and ran thumbs over them.  
"There you are, my mate. I will keep you safe don't you worry. I am sorry I overwhelmed you. Come on darling. Lie back down and rest a bit longer. We will talk again later." Harry spoke softly.  
Mind numb and feeling utterly exhausted, Tony let himself be guided back down and quickly fell asleep to hands carding through his hair and a soft humming.

When Tony woke again the hand in his hair was gone and a savoury smell wafted through the room.  
Opening his eyes he saw a tray of fresh bread and what looked like beef soup standing on the bedside table.  
It looked delicious. His stomach grumbled which made him aware that he had not eaten in a while. Slowly sitting up, Tony looked around the room.  
He was laying in a dark brown king canopy bed with navy blue sheets. The same blue could be found on the walls, with golden accents from the wall lights. The room wasn't that big and only held the bed, a bedside table on either side of it, a large sideboard made from the same wood as the bed and a chaise lounge in front of the fireplace on the right side (from his view left) of the room.  
Opposite the fireplace was a large window which overtook most of the wall. The curtains were parted slightly and looking out, Tony saw the most beautiful view ever.  
It was neither light nor dark and filled with all colours, some he had never seen before. There was a large lake glittering in the multicoloured starlight, surrounded by the healthiest looking trees. A deer family was drinking from the sparkling lake. Everything looked so serene and beautiful. But the most magnificent was the sky. Never had he seen something like this. It looked like the sky was a nebula unlike any other he had seen from pictures. It was warm and bright and it just felt like home. 

A soft knock brought Tony out of his musings. He turned towards one of the doors opposite the bed. In came a petite woman with dirty-blonde hair and silvery-blue eyes. She looked both fragile and like a force to be reckoned with. He definitely did not want to get on her wrong side.

"Oh! You are awake my Lord Merchant. It is a pleasure to finally meet you, I am Luna. I hope my brother has not overwhelmed you too much? He has not had contact with someone outside his family in ages. I will go get him." she swiftly turned back around and left a puzzled Tony Stark behind. 

Before he could process anything new, the door opened again and Harry entered.  
"I am sorry to have left your side, but I had a lot of paperwork to do." Harry apologised. Looking around the room Harry's eyes fixed on the still full bowl of soup. "Tony, you should eat something. You have been through a lot and need your strength."  
Tony was perplexed. He was so confused. Everything was happening so quickly he could hardly process.  
Seeing the confused expression on Tony's face Harry continued. "We will talk after you have eaten. I will tell you everything you want to know."

Not knowing how to answer Tony followed the instructions and began to eat. It was just as delicious as it smelled, maybe even better. The meat fell apart on his tongue and the soup was rich with flavours. The bread was crunchy and still warm. He did not remember the last time he had such a lovely meal. It was so great that Tony unconsciously relaxed and focused completely on his meal.  
Eating the last bit of his bread he put the tray back onto the bedside table and looked towards Harry wringing his hands in his lap.

"Before I tell you anymore, do you have any questions about what I told you previously?l Harry began. 

"Well...Ummm… I don't know where to start, I have so many questions. Ummm…. I…. How did I get here? The last I remember I was in… Siberia…" Tony shuddered remembering Rogers and his shield.

Smooth, warm hands encased his and Tony felt himself relax. It should be scary how easily this person could calm him, but for whatever reason, he felt completely safe and happy.

"I brought you here. I found you in Siberia. It was a gruesome sight. And I am sorry to say you died there. However, you are dead no longer. Best not think about it." came the answer. 

He died? What did he mean he died? How was he here if he was no longer dead? 

"Wait. Wait. I died?" Tony's voice trembled.  
Rogers had actually killed him? The food he had eaten was coming back up.  
One second to another a bucket appeared in front of him. Without a thought, he threw up into the bucket. 

"Oh dear, I am not good at this," spoke Harry quietly while rubbing Tony's back softly. 

"Yes my Merchant, you did indeed die. I am sorry to speak so bluntly, but I have not had contact with anyone in a millennium." Harry proclaimed. 

After spitting out what was left in his mouth, Tony looked up, being greeted by a glass of water. How it appeared just as the bucket he did not know, but he would find out soon, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This got longer than I expected (how that happened, I have no clue). I first wanted to have all the explanation in one chapter, however, it is easier to split it into two parts.  
> A part of me does not like that Tony is just so confused and vulnerable, hopefully, next chapter he will go back to the Tony we know and love (at least a bit more). Harry, on the other hand, is just not good at social interaction. Oh, what a pair those two will make. :)
> 
> I hope you like this chapter. Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

Five minutes later, with his stomach somewhat settled and his mind calmer Tony spoke again with a raspy voice.  
“So ignoring that I died for now, where is here exactly?” Tony waved his hands around.  
“Hmmm. How to best explain it.” Harry murmured. “Ah, yes! Imagine a lot of soap bubbles sticking together. Those are all universes that exist. Some are further apart and others are only parted by a thin layer. That layer that keeps them apart is the In-Between. It stretches out between all Universes to make sure they don’t collide into one another. The In-Between is also the only place where you can go to other Universes. There are times that a small number of people or creatures go through here, but it is very difficult.”  
“Does that just mean our Universe with alternate timelines or rather completely different worlds?” Tony questioned.  
“Well, it is somewhat both. There doesn’t exist a Universe for every single different decision you made, but rather for the most important events in History.” Harry explained. “For example in an alternative Universe to this Earth Howard Stark never came to existence and therefore a certain Supersoldier Serum was never made. Due to this that Earth ended up without any types of Superheroes. From a time before in the evolution on that Earth the X-Gene, as well as the Inhuman-Gene, never made it into their genetics. It is all interesting really. They even don’t have as advanced Technology as your Earth, however, that is mostly because you do not exist there.”  
“Okay. Wow. I cannot imagine that. It must be really peaceful there.” Tony thought wistfully.  
“Not really. That Universe runs ahead of your time, don’t ask, even I do not completely comprehend it yet. Currently, they are in the year 2020 and there is a Pandemic afoot. You do not want to go there at the moment. Trust me. It is a nightmare.” Harry shuddered thinking of when he last looked into that Universe.  
“Does that mean that my Earth will have the virus in 2020? I mean the other Earth is ahead in time.” was the clever response from Tony.  
“Hmm… It definitely is a possibility, however, it is not a certainty. Both Earths are vastly different, especially with how far yours is in the medical field. We will see when we get to that time. Now we best move on to another question if you have one.” Harry looked at Tony who ran a hand over his neck in a sheepish and unsure gesture.  
“Well if it is… uh… hmm, well. Gosh, this is so hard. You said we were soulmates. How do you know that? I mean it's not like I don’t want one or I don’t feel safe with you but until now I never knew they existed.”  
Harry looked at him in surprise, he had not thought that Tony would not know that soulmates existed. He should look more closely at his Merchants earth and all that they know.  
“Well. When I healed you, a bright white light encompassed us and since then I’ve been able to feel where you are and if I concentrate I am able to slightly tell your emotions. From what I understood from Death, the bond that has formed between us will strengthen in time and we will be able to communicate telepathically and sense when the other is in distress. However, Death also said that every soulbond is different and can come with various other abilities. Does that answer your question, my mate?”  
“Uh, yeah, I guess so. Um, you said something about me being the Merchant of Death, but I thought I left that title behind, I thought… I can’t be the Merchant of Death! I stopped building weapons and everything!” Tony was terrified. What if everything he had done since Afghanistan had been for nothing?!  
“Calm down, dear. Being the Merchant of Death has nothing to do with killing, but rather with upholding the Balance. Throughout all Universes there exists a Balance. A Balance between Life and Death. Without the other, they can’t exist. Some people, like you, are important to the Balance, others only play a small role. The souls of the people important to the Balance are marked, when you learn to use your new powers as Merchant, you will be able to see those marks. You have been marked as important since you were born, however, it were your actions, not the ones you are probably thinking of, that gave you the title of Merchant of Death. In order to receive of title from Death, means that at one point you saved the Balance. According to Death, you have done so when you freed the town of Gulmira, flew the nuclear bomb into the wormhole and when you signed the Accords. You did all these things for the protection of innocents. That was what made you worthy of the title.” Harry explained.  
“But would that not mean that a lot of people could gain a title from Death?” Tony questioned.  
“Well, no. There are other factors too. One is defying Death at least three times and accepting it nonetheless and you need to be important to the Balance.” Harry smiled crookedly. “To gain my Title, as the Master of Death, I had to face Death three times and overcome it, had to collect three objects known as the Deathly Hallows, which I did on accident, and lastly I had to walk to my death, meeting Death as a friend. Even then, I didn’t come into my years until a few years after. I have lived for millennia and my powers are still developing.”  
“You walked to your death? You know…. I don’t want to know just yet. I have a few more questions.” Tony looked towards Harry who gestured him to go on. “If you have lived for millennia, does that mean you are immortal? Does that mean I am immortal now too? What about my family? I can’t leave them behind.” Came the worried question from Tony.  
“Yes, we are both immortal. While your family is not immortal at the moment, I would grant them if you and they wish immortality. Even I took someone from my world with me and made her immortal. However, it was her choice. Without her, I don’t know if I could have lived for this long without going crazy. Don’t worry. You will not be alone.” answered Harry. “Speaking of Luna. You should meet her properly! Are you able to get up?”  
Tony moved to stand up from the bed. While his legs felt slightly shaky, it should be possible to go for a walk.  
“Yes, I should manage. Though my legs are slightly shaking.”  
“That is good,” said Harry, moving to keep a hand on Tony’s elbow in case his legs gave out.  
With small steps, the Merchant and Master of Death made their way to and out of the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was hard to write. Writing explanations sucks.   
> And yes. I had to add a mention to COVID-19 .   
> I hope the explanations made sense. If they don't tell me, please. 
> 
> I hope you are all well!   
> Where I live, while things are not great, they are not terrible either. My country has a great Healthcare system and we somewhat have the situation under control.   
> Stay safe!


	5. Chapter 5

Walking through the corridors, Tony was amazed. A lot of portraits hung on the dark red walls, and they were moving! How were they moving? Tony came to a stop in front of a portrait of a couple. The man had orange-red hair and a lot of freckles, while the woman had dark brown hair put up in a messy bun. He turned towards Harry who was looking at the picture with a small smile on his face.  
“Those two were my best friends Hermione and Ron from my original universe. They married each other and had kids. They did not want to outlive them and both died peacefully in their sleep at the age of 90. While I miss them, I understand where they came from. It would be hell to outlive your children.” Harry spoke softly with tears in his eyes. The Master of Death turned towards Tony, taking hold of both hands and looked Tony in his eyes. “If you wish I can tell you more about them later, however, for now, we should find Luna.”  
Harry gently pulled Tony through the long but beautiful hallway. Coming to a stop at the last door, Harry gently opened the door. 

The first thing Tony saw was the massive golden balancing scales on a dais in the centre of the room. The second was the many and huge bookshelves covering the walls, on both the left and the right side of the room. Behind the scales was a large mahogany desk littered with mountains of paper. A black quill, which looked like a raven feather stood in the ink pod. Everything seemed so out of date. Tony could not remember a time when he last saw an ink pod as well as this much amount of paper. Sure he would have to read and sign some documents, but most things came to him digitally. He was shocked.  
“Would it not be easier to use a computer? Why the fuck do you have so much paperwork? Who still writes with quills? Where is all the technology?” Tony was freaking out. Where the fuck did he end up. No Technology?! Hopefully, there was a coffee machine here somewhere.  
A tinkling laugh brought Tony out of his musings. There in the corner of the room amidst a lot of candles, both large and small, on a light blue cushion sat Luna in a meditative pose. Her eyes sparkled in amusement.  
"Haven't I told you, my Lord? I believe I told you that you should use technology, for at least 100 years." Luna grinned at Harry.

Turning towards Harry, Tony saw the man with his face in his hand shaking his head exasperated.  
"Yes, dear sister. You were right. Are you happy?!"

Tony’s gaze landed back on the scales. “What's with the scales?”  
“Those scales show the balance throughout all universes. It is how I found you. When you … died, the scales were completely thrown out of balance. Never before were they that thrown. Even now there is still a slight shift. We will have to fix that.” Harry mumbled to himself, one hand running over his mouth. 

Before Tony could ask any more questions, his stomach gave a loud grumble.

Tony looked down embarrassed, missing the amused look from Harry and Luna.

“Maybe we should take this outside and get you some food. Luna, you should join us on the patio.” Harry gently took Tony's hand leading him down the stairs and outside onto the beautiful patio. Harry gestured to the table pulling out the chair for Tony to sit down.  
“Starlight!” Harry exclaimed, shocking Tony. Tony recoiled when suddenly a small creature with large eyes and ears and sparkling golden freckles appeared before him.

“Yes Master Death Master?” the creature squeaked. “How may Starlight be of service?”  
“Could you please bring us some light food for three.” Harry turned to Tony “What would you like to drink?”  
“Ummm... Do you have some…” Well, coffee probably would not do him well at the moment. As much as he loved the drink. Tea probably would be better after having thrown up not long ago. Oh, bother. Tony resigned himself to his taste buds demise. “...Tea?”

“Of course we do. What kind would you like?” asked Harry.  
“I have no idea. I usually drink coffee, however, I don’t think my stomach could handle it at the moment. Do you have any recommendations?” came Tony's answer.

“You should drink some Chamomile tea. While it is not the nicest taste-wise, it will make you feel better.” came the soft voice from Luna walking towards them. “Starlight, I would like to have our Summer tea please, Chamomile for our Merchant, and bring my dear brother his usual cup of tea. Thank you!”

With a loud ‘POP’ Starlight disappeared. A moment later the table in front of Tony was filled with bread, fruits, what looked like the soup he had eaten earlier and the teas. Tony’s eyes widened with wonder.  
“How...What…” Tony took a deep breath. “Not to sound rude but what the Fuck is going on here? How did the food just appear out of thin air? What kind of being was that? Could someone please explain!”

Harry moved to speak, but Luna’s hand on his arm stopped him.

“My dear Merchant….” she began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hate this chapter. I had so much trouble writing it and I still have not written the explanation (you might be able to tell that I am procrastinating it). My plan originally was, that they would already be back on Earth. Ughh. Sorry, it took this long. Hopefully, the next chapter will be easier.  
> I just have to overcome the hurdle that is the explanation. :( 
> 
> I still hope you like this chapter. I, however, feel like I am not doing Tony justice. 
> 
> Til next time


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Explanation

“... In the beginning, there was only dark and light in perfect balance. Then something changed. The darkness transformed. It gained consciousness. The first being to exist was Death. A being out of time, never having a beginning nor an end. To keep the balance Deaths counterpart, the light, transformed too. It became Life. Unlike Death, however, Life was not a being, rather the creation of the Multiverse. 

If you want a more thorough explanation, you would need to talk to Death. They have seen it all. They have lived through it all. 

Death had always known the importance to keep the balance of the Multiverse. Due to Life not having a conscience and rather being a state, Death had to keep it all on their own.

Over time Death grew tired and lonely. 

Throughout millennia Death devised a plan to find a companion, who They would make as immortal as They are. It took a long time before They found a solution. To let themself be mastered. A plan formed in their mind. Only someone good-hearted, strong-minded and selfless should receive the title. 

They had seen too many people fall to power, and the person They would choose, would have to decline it all to gain it. For only a person not wanting power deserves it. 

So They created three magical objects which are known as the ‘Deathly Hallows’ and planted them in our original world, a world of magic, with the three Peverell brothers. Though Death acted as though they were giving the brothers the objects unwillingly, he only gave his Hallows a form and set them on their path.

The first Hallow was the Elder Wand. A wand, more powerful than any other.

The second Hallow was the Resurrection Stone. A stone that could recall souls from Death.

The third Hallow was the Cloak of invisibility. A cloak that could hide you from Death.

The first two brothers died shortly after. The eldest, who had received the Elder Wand bragged about it to others at an inn. Later that night his throat was slit and the wand was stolen and was sent on its path to find a Master. 

The second brother, who had received the Stone of Resurrection used its power to recall the soul of the girl he had loved and had hoped to marry. However, recalling souls is not without a price. The girl he loved was silent and cold, separated as though by a veil. She did not belong here and suffered for it. This brother killed himself, driven mad with being hopeless. The stone was sent on its path to find a master.

Only the third brother lived his life to completion. Death had searched for him his whole life but only found the youngest brother when he handed the cloak over to his son. He departed the world, greeting Death as an old friend and equal. The cloak stayed with the family, contend to wait for its master to find it. 

Years went by and the Hallows were handed down from person to person. Rumours and Legends arose, one of which being that together they make one Master of Death.

Death waited for a long time, he kept the Balance and reaped the souls of people until it happened one dark October night. 

A war was raging through the magical world, one that would leave a mark for centuries to come. A wizard named Voldemort stood at the helm of the dark side, followed by his loyal group of people called the Death Eaters.

On the opposite side stood the wizard Albus Dumbledore. A figurehead for the light side, followed by his people called the Order of the Phoenix.

It was October 1981, Samhain when a lot of ancient pieces fell into place.

Over a year beforehand a prophecy was told. 

" _ The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies.... _ "

— Sybill Trelawney's prophecy made to Albus Dumbledore

Half of it was heard by a person on the side of the dark. The prophecy pointed to two babies, one of whom was Harry.

On that dark night of Samhain Voldemort broke into Harry’s home and killed his parents. Death always being present when the owner of the cloak died, to ferry their souls into the afterlife, found himself witnessing the marking of his master to be. 

When Voldemort turned to kill Harry with the same curse that killed his parents, the curse reflected off him, taking Voldemort's corporate body. 

When Death witnessed this they were ecstatic, they knew their Master had been found and it was only a matter of time until they would meet properly.

Harry went through the trials, not knowing what he was doing. Through coincidence, Harry collected all Deathly Hallows and walked to his death to protect innocent lives. 

When Harry died, however, he did not meet Death this time. For the time was not right yet. Harry was able to return to the land of the living, not knowing, that from that moment on death would never be a state for him but a person. 

It was not until Harry hit the age of 24, exactly seven years after his first death, that Harry met them. But that story is best left for another time. 

Now to answer the other questions of yours.

Starlight is a House Elf, a creature native to our home universe. House Elves love to work, however, they need to bond to a wizard, witch or family to survive, because magic is their life force, one they cannot create themselves. 

Starlight here has been with us for a long time, and she will be with us until we don’t exist anymore if there is ever such a time. 

Now a bit further on the Balance, although most was already explained by my brother. When the Balance is thrown, very bad things tend to happen, we would have to ask Them for further information on this case. All we know right now is that you, Tony Stark play a huge role in setting everything right again. You are the answer!”

Luna looked up to meet the wide-eyed gaze of Tony Stark, who was frozen in shock, the spoon full of soup hanging just before his mouth, which was dropped open. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope it was not too boring, reading this explanation, however it needed to be done. 
> 
> Tell me what you think.  
> Thank you :)


	7. Chapter 7

An overwhelming sense of dread spread throughout Tony’s body. His chest, where previously the arc reactor had been and where Rogers slammed his shield into him, started aching. Tony felt nausea rise and his emotions twisting and turning.  
In a sudden movement, Tony stood up, the chair falling through the fast movement, and starting a fast pace.

“You have got to be shitting me! What the Fuck! I….I…. Why me?! Why now? Why magic? I can’t… I can’t do this! I can’t! There is no way that I am the person to fix this balance you speak of. I am a failure. You don’t need me! I always mess up! When I told the others what I saw when I flew that nuke through that portal nobody believed me and then due to my paranoia I created a murder-bot! There is no way I am the person you need! And magic! Magic… Nope! No way! Not gonna happen!” 

Harry looked at his soulmate with understanding and sadness. He knew the feeling of carrying the world on his shoulders and also believing he was a failure. How could he not with his childhood. The Dursley had always drilled into him that he was a good for nothing failure. It was a part he had needed decades to overcome and there were still moments where the thoughts and feelings arose again. However, he always had someone by his side to help him out.

With a slow smooth movement, Harry got up and walked towards his soulmate who kept ranting about how it could not be him. When Harry was close enough to reach out and touch Tony, he starts talking in a calm deep tone laced with honesty.

“You are not a failure! It might be that you feel that way now, however, it is not the truth.-” Harry slowly reached out to grab Tony’s hand. As soon as their hands touched, Tony’s body slumped in exhaustion due to the panic attack, which left him suddenly. “-You will be right exactly the way you are! I will be here for you. As my soulmate, I will always be by your side. I will protect you when you need it and I will take care of you when you need it. We will do whatever this is together. You can do this! You are good enough! I will help you.”

As Harry kept talking, he slowly embraced Tony in a tight hug. Harry felt his shirt slowly getting wet and heard the soft sobs from his mate. 

When the sobs dissipated Tony moved away from Harry, looking him in the eyes, however not letting go yet. 

“How do you keep doing this? I am normally not this emotional. You keep calming me down from panic attacks with just a touch. I cried! I don’t cry. Why do I feel this safe with you even if I don’t know you yet? And don’t just say I am your soulmate. What even does it mean to be soulmates? Just… Just, why?”

Harry thought for a bit, still not letting go of Tony. He knew that the concept of soulmates is not as easy to understand to some people, like himself too or Tony. Thus he explained it to Tony the exact way Luna had to him when he didn’t understand.

“As you probably know, Soulmates are two or more parts of a whole. This means the people involved in the bond, balance each other out in certain aspects, while still having a lot in common. Soulmates can range from parental bonds to friendship to a romantic bond. All it means is that Soulmates will always be on each other's side, helping them when needed and being an anchor for them. It means being a family. The reason I can calm you this easily is that the bond between us anchored you to me. It means that I will be able to calm you down when needed and you will feel safe enough to lower your walls. There is a lot we don’t know yet about our bond, because it just formed, however, whichever direction it will take, you can know for sure, we will figure it out together.”

Tony let one hand of Harry’s go, wiping away the last few tears that made their way down his cheek. He took a shuddering breath before speaking again.  
“So you have magic? What exactly can you do?”

“Well, magic can do almost anything. There is conjuring, transfiguration, potions, elemental magic, charms, curses and more. There is only the limit of creating food and metals, although with the right molecular and atomic knowledge even that could probably be done.” Harry answered truthfully.

Fear coursed through Tony as he spoke his next question.  
“What about mind control and manipulation?”

Seeing the fear, Harry felt a chill run down his spine. What had been done to his Merchant that he feared mind magics. Who had put that fear into him?  
Squeezing Tony’s hand slightly he started to speak.

“While that magic does exist, it is not one I like. I have been through that myself and hate it with passion. However while it exists, the opposite does too. If you wish I could teach you the art of Occlumency, however, I would like to know what happened to make you fear magic, especially mind magic so.”

The hopeful gaze in Tony’s eyes stole Harry’s breath. He had never seen anyone as beautiful as his mate was in that exact moment. 

“I would like that. Though, can we talk about what happened later? I have a few more questions. Plus we should probably sit back down.”

“Of course, darling.” 

With great reluctance both let go of each other and sat back down, Luna looked at the with a knowing glint in her eyes. 

“So what are your questions, dear Merchant.” Luna looked at Tony.

“Okay. First things first. How long have I been here? Because it must have been a few days since..” Tony shuddered.

“Well. you have been in the In-Between for around four days, however, your Universe runs more slowly compared to here. I believe it was a week (168h) being one hour in your universe. Which basically means you have been missing for around 30 to 40 minutes. Do you have another question?” Harry explained somewhat sheepishly.

Tony’s eyes were wide with amazement.  
“168 hours, holy shit!-” he shook his head to file that thought for later and to return back to the topic. “-Where is my suit, by the way?”

“Oh that,-” Harry scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. “- Well you see, um, when I healed you, the suit kind of merged with you? I have no idea why or how, but it did.”

The next thing Harry heard was a head hitting the table repeatedly. A bit of soup sloshed from Tony's bowl.  
“Fuck this shit! Why me, why me, why me, why is it always me, ugh.” Tony straightened back up, holding his arm in front of himself which now sprouted the familiar red and gold gauntlet and looked at Harry and with a deadpan voice said, “So it seems I have become a cyborg. Yay!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tony can't seem to catch a break. 
> 
> I hope you like this chapter.  
> (Hopefully, I can manage the In-Between storyline to end in two chapters so that we are back on earth.)  
> (I want to write Spiderson already!)


	8. Chapter 8

Tony sagged in his chair, completely out of it. If somebody had told him a month ago of what was to come, he would not have believed it.   
First Rogers turned out to be a complete asshole, one who believed that his hands were better than the 117 countries, and rising, which wanted the Accords. Then that fucking betrayer hid the truth of his parent's death from him and then killed him too! He actually fucking died. But no. Steve Grant Rogers can do no wrong! 

But it was after that what took the fucking cake.   
Now he is here in the In-Between, a fucking cyborg on the verge of a mental breakdown because everything was just going so fucking fast. What is going to happen next? A Fucking Apocalypse?! Because it seems as if that were the direction they are taking. 

Why could he just not be normal? Okay, scratch that. Not normal, but at least at peace. 

Tony sighed. 

But hey, at least he now literally is Iron Man. Nobody could ever take that from him. 

The soft voice of Luna broke Tony out of his musings. 

“Harry, I believe this might be part of his powers that are developing. You know, like you and I developed our elemental powers.” 

“You may be right, dear sister.”

“What are you talking about? What powers?” Tony asked intrigued.

“Well, when I first came to my position as Master of Death, I quickly developed elemental powers, the first being Darkness. Shadows, wove themselves around me, hiding me away, letting me travel through them. Later came the powers over the weather as well as fire. Luna here developed the ability to control water and air. Unlike us though, those are the only power additions she is getting. Even after millennia mine are still growing and being added to. Like Necromancy for example. It took roughly twenty years after receiving the title that the Powers showed up and it took until 1300 years ago until I had fully mastered and received all of what came with it. I now can grant as well as take away immortality. I can speak to and raise the dead, although I don’t wish to do the latter. There is also the ability to see souls and their lives, which by the way can be really freaky. 

We will have to see what powers you will develop, however it seems you might go into the direction of technology. What I also know is that as my soulmate you will have at least some power over Necromancy, how much though I am not sure. Though that skill takes a long time to develop. You might not have it for 100 years yet. We will see.” 

Harry’s explanation of his powers left Tony wide-eyed, because, Fucking Hell! that is a lot of power for one being! And it sounded like he would become similarly powerful!

“Okay, that is a lot of power! What the fuck!”

“Well, Death is literally connected to everything. But enough of that for now. You should finish eating. Maybe afterwards we can take a walk around the house?” Harry looked at Tony, hope shining in his eyes.

The Merchant of Death didn’t answer an picked up his spoon to continue feasting on the meal before him. His soup surprisingly was still warm, as if by magic, which could actually be the case. 

After all, dishes disappeared from the table, Harry made his way next to Tony and held out his arm for him to take. 

With a quick nod to Luna, Tony linked their arms and was led towards the lake he had seen earlier. 

It was stunning. The nebulae which filled the sky was reflected in the pool of water, the small ripples made by the wind bent them beautifully. It was an image he knew he would never forget. 

The comfortable silence was broken by Harry, who had by now led the halfway around the lake towards the forest. 

“Could you tell me a bit about yourself? Only if you wish that is. However, I want to know you better.”

“Ummm… Sure, why not. How about I tell you about my family!” A bright smile made its way to Tony’s face, only thinking about them made him happy. “So there my siblings all in blood which is my sister Pepper, and my brothers Rhodey and Happy.   
When I went to MIT at the age of 15 I met my Rhodey Bear. 

I came into MIT a know-it-all, rich prodigy and was hated for it by all except Rhodey.   
We lived in the same dorm room and instantly clicked and he has not left me since then.

Next, I met Happy. To be honest, I don’t remember much, except that he saved me from an unpleasant situation while I was drunk and gave me a room to stay safe and sleep off the massive hangover. All I know is that the next day I had a bodyguard.”

Tony chuckled remembering that day. 

“Next off there is Pepper, a badass woman in her own rights. I met her when she was still working as an assistant accountant in my company. One of the higher-ups made a mistake that would have cost the company millions. She found it and reported it. However, due to her being an assistant, nobody gave her the time of day. Next day she storms to my office threatening the guards with pepper spray and slamming the document onto my table. I immediately made her my PA and she now is the CEO of Stark Industries. She is so fierce, that reporters are scared to write anything bad on her. She is amazing!”

Tony’s eyes had stars in them. 

“She sounds amazing,” Harry commented, approval written on his face.

“Yeah, she definitely is! Well next of we have my children. There is my eldest son Dum-E, the first AI I have ever made, then there is U, Butterfingers, those three all have robotic bodies, then there… was J.A.R.V.I.S., oh gosh I miss him, he died during the Ultron fiasco, and my youngest daughter F.R.I.D.A.Y..”

Tears welled up in Tony’s eyes thinking of his precious Jarvis. Oh, how he wished Ultron had never happened. Seeing this Harry pulled Tony closer to comfort him on the loss of his child.   
Wiping away the stray tears that made their way down Tony’s cheek he continued. 

“Jarvis and Friday are more independent and developed than the others, but I love all of them.   
Lastly, we have my grandson Vision, who was the only good thing that came out of the Ultron spectacle. He is a creation from Jarvis, Ultron and the Mind Stone. While he often reminds me of my son, I love him dearly, and he often comes to game nights with the rest of the family.” Tony had spoken so much that he did not notice they were back on the patio until they had stopped. 

“Your family sounds amazing! I can’t wait to meet them!” Honesty poured off Harry in waves. “I would love to hear more about them if you ever wish to tell me.”

A sharp intake of breath reminded both of them of Luna who had been on the patio. They turned just in time to see her silvery eyes glaze over and watch her speak.

“Prepare for the darkness that is to come.  
If not stopped it will rain destruction.  
Hope can be found in 12 people to come.   
Three sons, you will have. One found, one lost, one broken.  
Three people you must find.  
A doctor who is not a doctor, A shadow of a king and a shining star.   
An unexpected ally will bring with them 5 more.  
But beware, shall you not accept them all, darkness will swallow all life and the Balance will be shattered forevermore.   
Beware that if you bow before the glacier it will destroy all that you love and all hope will be lost.  
Prepare for the darkness that is to come.”

The only thought running through Tony’s head at that moment was:  
“I fucking knew it!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this chapter!
> 
> Tell me what you think of the prophecy and who you think the three sons are. 
> 
> :)


	9. Chapter 9

“Just what I fucking needed! A fucking apocalypse!” Tony paced along the patio only to stop when he felt a twinge of what he presumed was fear deep inside him. It felt different though and it took Tony a minute to recognise that it was not him who felt this fear. 

Tony turned to Harry, only to see his face as pale as snow and his fingers trembling slightly.   
Without thought, Tony made his way over to his soulmate and gently grabbed his hands. The trembling stopped, and the feeling of fear dissipated. 

Harry closed his eyes, breathing in deeply before opening them again. He looked at Tony with gratitude and a slight nod before he turned to Luna, not letting go of Tony’s hands, as if they were the only reason why he was standing. 

Luna looked at Harry with sympathy. She knew how hard prophecies were for Harry. Every prophecy ever made about him came with a loss of life or a severe consequence for him.  
She only hoped that the fates would be kind to him this time. Though he now had his soulmate by his side, she knew that Potter Luck would probably strike again.   
Not only that but the prophecy stated that the Balance was at stake and not only unbalanced. If it broke there was no telling of what could happen. She would have to inform Death as soon as possible, maybe they knew more about this situation. 

Just as Harry started to speak, still clutching Tony’s hands, a warm but raspy voice came from around them.

“Hello, Honeys! I’m home!” 

Out of the shadows stepped a dark figure, arms open as if waiting for a hug. 

“Death! You are back! How was the journey?” Luna asked with a smile on her face as she jumped right into their arms.

Death chuckled, ruffling the hair of their favourite seer and basically younger sister.

“The trip was rather boring. Nothing exciting happened, just the common reapings. This does not seem to be the case here though. I was not expecting to meet my Merchant quite this soon. At least not for another 15 years, if not longer. What happened?”

While Death was speaking they moved to hug their Master, who they noticed looked fearful, not of them of course but because of something else. That would not do. Their Master rarely feared anything, there were only a few things that could set Harry on edge. They would have to find out soon. After ruffling their Masters hair Death turned to their Merchant Tony Stark, but they didn’t approach.

Tony was frozen.   
Death was not what he thought, but exactly the way he imagined. Which he knows is contradictory, but in this case utterly true. There is just no way to describe the being in front of him, but at the same time, it is so clear. Like...it’s just...that! Just everything! And nothing!

All of a sudden Tony felt the last few days catch up with him, finally comprehending what happened. Before he knew he started to speak, pacing along the patio, waving his arms around while speaking.

“Umm... Apparently, when I died at the hands of Rogers, the Balance was thrown off? I still don’t really understand why, but Harry here brought me back to life and told me I was his soulmate, which is still hard to believe. I mean I never knew soulmates existed, you know? And we just had, I think, lunch after which Harry and I went for a walk. When we came back, Luna here spoke what I think was a prophecy, which sounds way to fucking scary. And then Harry freaked out and you arrived.”

Next, he knew, Death pinched their nose before reiterating.

“So you're telling me, you, my dear Merchant died before your time, like too fucking early, by the hands of that no good hypocrite, that it is no longer funny, Steven Grant Rogers?! The one that only escaped my hands by a mere stroke of luck on his part? I knew I should have persisted longer in collecting his soul!” Death took a deep breath, calming themself down again. It would do no good to rant on that insignificant human when there were more important things to talk about. “What is the prophecy, sister?”

Luna recited it, her voice void of emotions and all they felt was a sense of dread. 

Thanos. 

There is no other being in this universe who would be capable of that kind of destruction. Even then, Thanos would need Life’s pieces to reign such destruction. The Infinity Stones. The densest parts of their counterpart. The only objects able to utterly shatter the Balance. The only objects they are unable to touch because they are the exact opposite of themself.

Drat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, it took so long.   
> I had to think a lot about how I wanted to personify Death, because it's Death, you know. I hope you like them.   
> Another issue I had with this chapter was to not make Tony have a panic or anxiety attack again because it would be too many in a row. Which would get boring really fast.   
> Work also left me really exhausted and I just did not get into a mood to write. But finally. Here you go. I hope you enjoy it.
> 
> Next chapter should see us back to Planet Earth and then...... you will see. :)


	10. Chapter 10

They arrived back in Siberia with a loud “CRACK”, Tony clutching Harry’s arm tightly.   
He had never felt as weirded out as in that moment. What was he supposed to think, being sucked through what felt like a small tube, which scrambled his insides? 

Never again, hopefully. 

Slowly gaining the strength to straighten up Tony looked upon the room where he died. He had been afraid that being back here would result in a full-blown panic attack, but he felt nothing except for a chill down his spine. 

Just as he turned towards Harry to ask him something, he more felt than heard a beeping in the back of his mind. His eyebrows furrowed, unsure what to make of that.   
The beeping stopped only to be replaced by a familiar voice.

“Father!” Friday's lovely voice exclaimed, her voice laced with fear, in his mind. 

“Hello, Sweetheart! Are you alright?” He had never heard her so emotional. She was developing beautifully. 

“I could not find you! You were gone! You died! How are you alive? Please don’t leave me!”   
Times like these made Tony aware of just how young his daughter was, how she did not have the same amount of experiences as Jarvis. He never wanted to make her sad and frightful. 

“I am back now Baby Girl and I won’t leave you ever again. I promise. I will tell you later how I am alive, just wait until we are home.” He furrowed his brows, “Darling Girl, how are you in my mind? …. No actually, I can guess the reason. Friday, could you please sent a Quinjet to this location, and tell Happy we will pick him and the Spiderkid up in Germany. Please make sure everything is cleared.”

“The Quinjet is on the way, however father what do you mean with ‘we’? Last I scanned you were the only person in the area.” Friday's confused voice sounded in his mind. 

Tony was thrown out of the conversation by a pair of hands-on his wrists.   
Looking up Tony saw concerned green eyes staring at him. Tony gave his soulmate a small smile. 

“Sorry about that, it appears that my daughter Friday is able to connect to my mind and I had to comfort her. She is sending a Quinjet over as we speak so that we can leave this place.”

Harry smiled at him, giving his wrist a stroke with his thumb and then moving back to where he had been before he noticed Tony absent-minded. 

Harry looked at the giant disc with no small amount of disgust and anger. How some people could be so cruel he did not know. He picked it up, looking towards his mate, who had moved towards the computer, gathering all of the evidence of what happened here. Removing his gaze from Tony, Harry looked at the shield in his hand and banished it into a pocket dimension for the moment. There was no way he would let Tony look at the object of his death for the moment. 

Next, he picked up the robotic arm that lay on the other side of the room and banished it from view the moment he heard a small whimper from his mate.   
Tony stood in front of the screen, watching a man killing a woman, which he presumed was Maria Stark, Tony's mother. Rushing over he silently pulled Tony into a hug and away from the screen. 

“Darling, do you have everything you need from here?” Harry’s worried voice broke Tony out of his bubble. 

Taking in a deep breath, Tony turned his face into Harry’s shoulder and mumbled a quiet “yes”.

Holding Tony tightly in his arms, he moved them towards the exit and out into the frozen tundra. A good bit away Harry turned back towards the bunker and summoned the Elder Wand to him. With a clear image of what he wants to happen, he releases his magic and ‘BOOM’ the bunker collapses in on itself leaving nothing behind but rubble. 

At the loud noise, Tony jerked up from his comfortable position, staring blankly at the now destroyed place of his demise. 

Only one thought flitted through his mind. 

“Good riddance!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have done it.   
> A new chapter! What a miracle!
> 
> Tbh, I was stuck on this chapter. I wanted them to arrive on Earth and then have a few flashbacks, but yeah that did not work. hopefully next chapter. 
> 
> I hope you are all well and that you will stay safe and healthy!


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little slice of Death and a little mystery.

If they had known that Thanos would end up being such a pain in their being, they would have collected that soul centuries ago. But no, they thought Thanos was just a minor annoyance, easily defeated. Now, this!

The Infinity Stones, as people started calling them could greatly tip the Balance and very easily at that. 

The worst was that they could not touch them and neither could their Master and Merchant. It is bad enough to be very close to an Infinity Stone for them, as their Merchant has found out in the past, but them actually touching one of the Pieces of Life could imbalance the universe, tainting the purity that is Life. 

They had done it once at the very beginning of the multiverse when the loneliness overwhelmed them. 

The Life Pieces were trees in that universe. Death remembered finding one, feeling such elation for finally not being alone anymore. They remembered touching that tree and it blackening, the darkness spreading through the bark like a disease, which is what it was. 

They remembered the hurt coursing through their form as they felt the Balance irrevocably tipped and in a panic fleeing from the tree.  
The universe died soon after that. All apocalyptic events that could happen tore through that universe, tearing it down piece by piece. 

Death swore to themself to never again touch a piece of their counterpart again. 

And this is only when they touch one. What Thanos would be able to do with six parts of Life is overwhelmingly bad. And they could do nothing without making it worse. 

Their Master and Merchant only had part of Death within their soul, his Merchant less than their Master which meant that their interference would cause less destruction, but still a significant amount. It would be infinitely better for them not to touch them. 

There was only one odd thing, well being. Vision. The being that his Merchant calls his grandson. It was a mystery even to them why his Merchant was able to be this close to an Infinity Stone and for nothing to happen, even to touch his grandson. How that is possible, they wished to find out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing Death as a genderless being is enjoyable and quite hard. Alone remembering to write they/ them... instead of he or she, trips me up often enough.
> 
> It is worth it though.

**Author's Note:**

> I am a reader, not a writer but this idea has not left me for days and I could not stand not writing it down. Writing is very hard for me. I have trouble putting the scenes I imagine on paper. I hope you like this though.


End file.
